“The Bells”, by Edgar Allen Poe, reveals life of the nature cycle. As you grow life flies past you. The stages in which you grow are youth, adult hood, and old age. People go through there life in different ways, some with joy and some with depression.

When you’re young and full of life you would be a silver bell. Silver bells are usually joyful like a Christmas or sleigh bell. In the poem, Poe explains, “What a world of merriment their melody foretells.” (Poe line 3.) This shows that the silver bell is young and joyess. When you grow out of the silver bell stage, you go to adult hood, which is a gold bell such as a wedding. It is gold and charming because it is the happiest years of your life. Poe states, “What a world of happiness their harmony foretells.” (Poe line16.) Stage three of the life cycle is from ages fifty to eighty, and is bronze, more so as fire alarm. This bell is frightening because life is halfway over. For example, “What a tale of terror now their turbulency tells!” (Poe line 38.) The last and final stage of the bells is iron, from ages ninety to death. This bell is silent and still, funeral like. It’s painful because it the end of not only the life cycle, but a journey. All four of these bells are like the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. From spring to summer everything is in bloom and colorful. From fall to winter things start to get cold, migrate, and wilt.

As the life cycle passes over time, there will be times of happiness, and sadness. Theses phases of life represent a certain bell. Sooner or later the bells cycle will be completed, and you will accomplish the meanings that represent each and every bell.